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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25171987">The Fairground</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloreatCastellum/pseuds/FloreatCastellum'>FloreatCastellum</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Slice of Life One-Shots [34]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Carnival, F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, POV Multiple, Small children being chaotic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, pure fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:13:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,566</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25171987</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloreatCastellum/pseuds/FloreatCastellum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which the Weasleys and Potters attend the local funfair and James Sirius Potter hustles for candy floss.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Angelina Johnson/George Weasley, Arthur Weasley/Molly Weasley, Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Slice of Life One-Shots [34]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1344409</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>253</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Fairground</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Extended family outings like this were always a challenge anyway, but the arrival of a travelling funfair not far from Ottery St Catchpole proved to be a greater challenge than most. Keeping track of all Weasley, Granger-Weasley and Potter children in the dusky summer evening, surrounded by rides, sweets and street performers was hard enough, but keeping the statute of secrecy on top of that felt near on impossible.</p><p>‘Just settle on a colour, Ted, and stick to it.’</p><p>‘I can’t help it!’ Teddy protested.</p><p>‘Well you’re going to have to wear-’</p><p>‘I’m not wearing a hat!’ Teddy told his godfather furiously. ‘Hats are stupid!’</p><p>‘Right, so stick to a colour - I don’t care if it’s bright, but stick to the same one.’</p><p>Ginny was crouched down by her daughter’s pushchair, pleading with her to stay close. ‘If I let you out, you can’t run away, all right? You stick close by, or I’ll strap you back in.’</p><p>‘Mum, can I have some candy floss?’</p><p>‘What?’ she said distractedly, looking up at James. ‘Yes, fine, here’s a pound. Come straight back.’</p><p>He ran off the second she’d handed over the muggle coin, but she barely thought about it as she unbuckled Lily, who immediately tried to leap out and run away. She caught her around the waist and hoisted her onto her hip.</p><p>Harry handed muggle money to Teddy, who ran off with Vic and Dom at once, and looked over at Ron, who was trying to convince Hugo to come with him into the Fun House. Hugo was looking up at it suspiciously.</p><p>‘I don’t see what’s fun about things being in the way all the time,’ he said.</p><p>‘How are you only three years old?’ asked Ron in amazement.</p><p>‘Come on, Hugo,’ said Harry brightly. ‘We’ll come too, won’t we Al?’ He looked over at his wife. ‘Want me to take Lily?’</p><p>‘Please - I need to track James down.’</p><p>So Harry took his two youngest in, carrying his toddler daughter and holding her up so she could stare into the distorted mirrors, laughing affectionately as Albus lay down in the revolving tunnel.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ginny had located her son, who was greedily shoving pink candyfloss into his mouth, and was buying him, Fred and Roxy tickets to go on the pirate ship. ‘Where are your parents?’ she asked Fred and Roxy.</p><p>‘They’ve gone on that thing,’ said Fred, pointing up at what appeared, to Ginny, to be a plastic ball being flung up horrifyingly freely into the dark sky. ‘Mum said she’d put the divorce off another year if he agreed.’</p><p>‘Good grief,’ said Ginny, though she reckoned she’d be able to persuade Harry to give it a go later. ‘Right - you sure you don’t want me to come on?’</p><p>‘Sure,’ said James firmly, taking the tickets.</p><p>She watched them hurry on, and spotted her mother wandering after them with a camera, but went and stood by Bill and Fleur.</p><p>‘Where did you get that?’ she asked, looking enviously at Bill’s bottle of beer.</p><p>‘From the shockingly overpriced bar over there,’ he said pointing. ‘Benefit of having your kids old enough to look after themselves.’ He squinted at a coconut shy. ‘Give you a go at that?’</p><p>‘You’re on,’ she said bracingly.</p><p>Harry and Ron came out of the Fun House at the same time James, Fred and Roxy came rushing excitedly off the Pirate Ship, bouncing around enthusiastically, claiming that they had nearly fallen out, trying to persuade them to come with them on it again.</p><p>‘No, Mum wants us on the carousel, look-’ said Ron, pointing over at Hermione. She was holding Rosie’s hand and waving enthusiastically over at them - Harry gestured to Ginny as they passed her to explain, though she seemed deeply engrossed in the coconut shy.</p><p>‘She’s got no chance,’ he told Ron. ‘They glue those things on.’</p><p>They reached the queue for the carousel, and Harry lowered his daughter to stand beside him, looking up at the glittering, golden thing. It looked like a vintage one. ‘I’ve never been on one of these,’ he said vaguely.</p><p>‘What?’ said Ron in false shock. ‘Are you telling me the Dursley’s never took you to a funfair?’</p><p>‘Surprising, isn’t it?’ Harry replied dryly. He felt a tugging on his shirt.  </p><p>‘Dad, can I have some candy floss?’</p><p>‘Er-’ he seized Lily’s arm to stop her running off, positioning Al against the little board that showed if he was tall enough for the ride. ‘Yes, all right - but be quick about it, they’ll let you bring it on the ride, it’d be nice if we all did it together.’</p><p>‘I need a pound.’</p><p>‘Here - get some for Al and Lily to share too.’ His son ran off into the darkness, and Al immediately began to bounce gleefully on his heels.</p><p>‘I am! I am tall enough! I can have one of the horses on my own!’</p><p>‘That makes it easier - on we go.’</p><p>So, with the others, Harry clambered onto the elegantly decorated carousel horse, his infant daughter on his lap so she could clutch the golden pole, though she kept leaning down to pat the horse’s neck. James hurried on just as the ride was about to start, clutching a stick of candyfloss and handing some to Al too, before finding a horse of his own.</p><p>‘Daddy, what does it say?’ Lily asked, pointing to the painted banner along the horse’s bridle.</p><p>‘Daisy - she’s got a flower name just like you,’ he told her. This seemed to delight her, and she patted her small hand against the carved mane of the horse, praising Daisy and saying hello.</p><p>The ride began, tinkling, cheerful music as it span and the horses bobbed gently up and down. Lily kept turning to laugh excitedly up at her father, who grinned back down at her, amazed by her beautiful, joyful face in the funfair lights, once again struck by that familiar feeling of disbelief at his own luck.</p><p>‘Thank you, Daisy,’ Lily said sweetly as Harry got off the horse. She patted the horse’s neck.</p><p>‘Thank you, Daisy,’ echoed Harry, patting the horse too. He held out his arms and Lily fell easily into them, waving at the horse over his shoulder as they disembarked.</p><p>Ginny had turned up alongside Molly; Ginny had an armful of coconuts while Molly fiddled with a camera.</p><p>‘What are you going to do with all of them?’ Harry asked her, grinning at her haul.</p><p>‘Pina coladas once the kids are in bed,’ said Ginny. ‘Mum, can I stick them in your bag?’</p><p>‘Yes - yes - just there - oh I got some lovely pictures of everyone on the carousel.’</p><p>The family half-regathered, but all at once they were all being pulled in different directions again, either by children or spouses, suggestions of getting burgers mixing with questions on whether anyone had seen where the loos were, comparing notes on which children were big enough to go on which rides.</p><p>‘I remember this sort of thing being fun,’ said George, rubbing his eyes. ‘It feels like you need decades of experience in logistics and operational management now.’</p><p>‘Well, I’m more than happy to accept your apology,’ said Arthur, amused.</p><p>‘Nah.’</p><p>‘Dad, can I have another go at that game thing? I really want to win that bear,’ said Roxy.</p><p>‘You know I think you’re wonderful, Roxy, but you’re really not good at that. Auntie Ginny’ll take you, she’ll win you the bear.’</p><p>‘Pressure!’ Ginny scolded him, but she took her niece’s hand and led her towards the stall. ‘I’ll show you how to do it, sweetie.’</p><p>Harry, who had not realised his wife had wandered away, was opening a little carton of juice for his daughter when he felt a tugging on his shirt. He looked down to see Albus pointing uncertainly.</p><p>‘Dad - Daddy, can we go on that? Will you go on that with me?’ asked Albus urgently. ‘You have to do it in pairs.’</p><p>‘All right - but I need someone to take Lily - Ginny? Where’s she-? Ah! Molly, could you-?’</p><p>So Molly took her toddler granddaughter while Harry and Al went to the swingboats, Hermione and Hugo on the one next to them, Fleur and Louis on the next one along to that. The boats swung up with each pull on the rope, getting easier and easier with momentum as they went. Harry pulled hard, and opposite him Albus’s side of the boat swung high into the air, almost vertical.</p><p>Albus shrieked, his eyes widening. ‘I’m going to fall!’</p><p>Harry laughed. ‘You’re not going to fall.’</p><p>‘Dad - stop! Don’t pull so hard, it’s too high-’</p><p>‘Al, you wanted to go on this!’ said Harry, amused. ‘It’s all right, I’m not going to let you fall out, am I?’</p><p>Albus shook his head frantically, though he still looked worried and clutched hold of the rope. Under Harry’s instruction, he began to pull too, and though Harry softened the strength behind each movement, the boat swung easily and freely. Harry smiled at him.</p><p>‘There you go - better?’</p><p>‘Yeah,’ said Al, who did look a little more confident as he pulled on the rope with all his might.</p><p>When they had finished, Harry took Lily back from Molly and took her with Ron and Hugo to the Helter Skelter, while Ginny, Albus, Fred and had a go at hooking ducks.</p><p>‘Careful,’ she said slowly, guiding Albus’s hand. His tongue stuck out the corner of his mouth as he concentrated. ‘Nearly… That’s it!’ She beamed down at him. ‘Well done!’</p><p>He had won a large, swirled lollipop, and she was just unwrapping it for him as Tedy came bounding over breathlessly.</p><p>‘I just went on that thing,’ he said excitedly, pointing at the ball that seemed to fling people into the sky on barely more than a bungee rope that George and Angie had been on. ‘With Vic.’</p><p>‘Oh, Ted, you didn’t?’ said Ginny, gaping between him and the severely unsafe looking ride. She paused. ‘Was it good?’</p><p>‘I thought it was - Vic cried.’ He looked around. ‘Where’s Harry?’</p><p>‘God knows, I hope it’s him that’s got Lily - what, Al?’ Albus was tugging on her sleeve, dancing awkwardly.</p><p>‘I need a wee,’ he moaned. ‘It’s urgent.’</p><p>‘How is it urgent, you didn’t need it a moment ago?’</p><p>‘I didn’t need it then.’</p><p>She groaned, straightening up to look around the packed fairground. It was getting increasingly dark - large lightbulb like lights were now glowing, stringed across the dusty pathways between the stalls and rides, thronged with families and teenagers.</p><p>‘Mum?’ asked James, ‘can I have some candy floss?’</p><p>‘You already had some, it’s just pure sugar, James - Teddy, could you take Al to the toilets, please?’</p><p>‘What?’ he moaned. ‘Ginny-’</p><p>‘Please, Ted, or I’ll have to take him into the ladies and the queue’s really long-’</p><p>‘I can go myself,’ piped up Al quickly.</p><p>‘You won’t find us again - oh, where has Harry gone?’</p><p>Harry was sitting with his squealing daughter on his lap, sliding down a twisting slide on a potato sack. He landed with a thlump at the bottom, and saw Ron, who had been in front of him rubbing his head, Hugo on his hip. ‘Whacked my bloody head going down,’ he said.</p><p>Harry laughed. ‘Seeing stars?’</p><p>‘Might as well be - that thing’s dangerous.’</p><p>‘Serves you right for being a lanky git,’ said Harry, hoisting Lily up a little as they walked back towards roughly where they thought the family was.</p><p>Briefly separated from one another when they reached the family and had to explain their absence to their wives, Ron was surprised to find his nephew tugging on his elbow, giving a furtive glance to his mother, and then speaking in a low voice.</p><p>‘Uncle Ron, could I borrow a pound for some candy floss?’</p><p>‘Why don’t you ask your parents?’ he said shrewdly.</p><p>James scrunched up his nose, looking highly sorry for himself. ‘Apparently it’s just pure sugar.’</p><p>‘Merlin Ginny can have her wand up her arse sometimes,’ he muttered, digging into his pocket. ‘Go on then. Don’t tell them it was me, though, or I’ll be in trouble.’</p><p>James scurried away, and Ron felt secure in his title of Favourite Uncle, something he knew he had to compete quite fiercely against George for.</p><p>They all headed to the dodgems next, because the opportunity to crash into one another without injury was too good to pass up. Arthur was particularly enthusiastic, because he couldn’t really figure out how they were moving without wheels, so kept getting shouted at by the man running it for sticking his head out of the car to peer at the pillowy black bumper.</p><p>Harry and Ginny were being particularly fierce with one another, Albus punching the air with delight as Ginny coolly pushed Harry’s car backwards, Harry laughing breathlessly as Teddy frantically yelled instructions to get out of the corner.</p><p>George was similarly competitive with his wife, smashing his car into hers with brutal enthusiasm, slinging fighting talk her way too.</p><p>‘Why are you hassling me more than anyone else?’ she demanded, pointing her finger viciously at him. ‘D’you fancy me or something?’</p><p>‘Don’t flatter yourself, love,’ he called back. ‘I just don’t want you to have a good time.’</p><p>She gave a growl of annoyance and swung her car around to batter the side of his, causing him to lurch with a shout of glee.</p><p>After the dodgems, George was cornered by his nephew.</p><p>‘Uncle George, would you buy me some candy floss? No one’s letting me have any.’</p><p>‘Why not?’ asked George. James shrugged. ‘Go on then,’ he said, pulling out a handful of muggle coins. ‘Make sure you share some with me, though.’</p><p>James scurried away, and George felt secure in his title of Favourite Uncle, something he knew he had to compete quite fiercely against Ron for.</p><p>The family managed to reconvene to briefly hand out sandwiches, largely ignored by most of the children, who were too concerned with trying to get to the inflatable obstacle course and arguing over who would get through it the quickest.</p><p>Molly followed them at a leisurely pace, cleaning the lens of her camera happily. She’d managed to get some wonderful photos this evening, so many nice little moments to treasure. She’d been particularly proud of one of George and Angelina laughing at one another in the Fun House, and one of Harry gazing adoringly down at Lily laughing away on the carousel, and of Albus and Rosie giggling together, and of-</p><p>James took Molly’s hand, and she smiled down at him happily, watching his amazed face take in the funfair lights.</p><p>‘Are you having fun?’ she asked affectionately.</p><p>‘Oh, yes,’ he breathed, in a far more gentle voice than usual. ‘Nana, I just love it, it’s amazing, I just - what’s that?’ he said abruptly, staring in wonder at a little stall.</p><p>She looked across. ‘Candy floss,’ she said. ‘You must know it. Have you not had it before?’</p><p>He looked stunned, still gazing with utter awe. ‘Could I please have some?’ he asked quietly.</p><p>‘Of course you can, dear,’ she said, her heart swelling with affection. She handed him a pound coin, and he ran off towards the stall.</p><p>A large group of them headed for the swing ride next, the little chairs high above the ground, swinging through the cool night air, though Arthur thought he had spotted some of the older children heading towards the more intimidating rides. He was content to look up and watch the legs of his large family swinging above him, though it was quite pointless to try and take photos as Molly had ordered.</p><p>‘Grandad!’</p><p>‘Oof!’ Arthur looked down and chuckled at his grandson, who clutched hold of his leg like a little koala, looking up with wide, excited eyes.</p><p>‘Did you see the light show, Grandad? You’d really like it, there’s loads of ekeltricity and noises, it’s really clever, it’s in that tent, will you come with me?’ James asked, at top speed.</p><p>‘That sounds wonderful,’ Arthur said warmly.</p><p>‘OK, come on,’ said James eagerly, grabbing his hand and pulling. ‘I think we should get some candy floss to take in though…’</p><p>‘What a good idea,’ said Arthur, and so he took his grandson by the hand and walked with him to the candyfloss stall.</p><p>‘Back again!’ said the smiling lady behind it, twirling a little wooden stick. The pink candyfloss appeared as though from nowhere.</p><p>‘Nah, that was my brother,’ said James quickly. ‘Grandad, it’s a pound.’</p><p>Half an hour later, the older children were heading to a ride that seemed to spin you around and stick you to the wall, but to Teddy’s displeasure a particularly hyperactive James was bouncing around his elbow.</p><p>‘Can I come?’</p><p>‘No, you probably won’t be tall enough to be allowed on, you’re so short.’</p><p>‘I am not, and anyway, Mum says I’m gonna have a growth spurt.’</p><p>‘Maybe not. Maybe you’ll take after her and be short. Go back on the kiddy rides, James.’</p><p>‘No, come on, I wanna go on the spinning thing-’</p><p>‘Leave us alone.’</p><p>‘Fine, then, Teddy, will you get me some candy floss?’</p><p>Teddy frowned at him. ‘Every time I’ve seen you, you’ve been shoving candy floss into your gob,’ he accused. ‘Don’t think I haven’t noticed.’</p><p>‘Mum got me some ages ago and I’ve been stretching it out,’ James insisted. ‘Come on, I know Dad gave you some muggle money - go on, Ted, get me some-’</p><p>‘Get lost!’</p><p>‘Please, Ted, please - go on, Ted, you’ll be my best friend, please-’</p><p>Ted exchanged an exasperated look with Vic and Dom, sighed, and said, ‘fine, here - if it makes you go away.’</p><p>‘Thanks!’ said James brightly, and he snatched the coin out of Ted’s hand and sprinted away. In hindsight, Teddy thought that had probably been his plan all along.  </p><p>Twenty minutes later, as Harry disembarked from the little caterpillar rollercoaster with Albus, James came rushing towards him, and somehow he knew immediately what was about to be asked.</p><p>‘Dad, can I have more candy floss?’</p><p>‘Haven’t you had enough? I know you got some off Uncle Ron too.’</p><p>‘That was ages ago though.’</p><p>‘You’ll be sick,’ Harry warned him.</p><p>‘I won’t! Please, Dad - maybe we could share it?’</p><p>Harry did not want candy floss; he felt far too old to tolerate its sickly sweetness now, but there was something so endearingly sweet about the prospect of his son wanting to share it with him that he agreed, and dutifully handed over a pound coin, hoping vaguely James would have enough sense not to let Ginny see.</p><p>Ten minutes later, James wandered away from his family in search of a new target.</p><p>‘Aunt Hermione-’</p><p>‘I think you’ve had plenty of candy floss, James,’ she said sternly. ‘Don’t think I haven’t noticed what you’re up to.’ She turned back to her own son, who was still sniffing indignantly, his arms folded. ‘Hugo, I just don’t understand why you thought there would be a bear on a unicycle, I don’t know where you got that idea.’</p><p>‘It’s just what there should be at the circus!’ he protested unhappily.</p><p>‘We’re not at the circus, this is a travelling funfair - and even if we were at the circus, you wouldn’t want there to be a bear forced to do tricks. That would be cruel, wouldn’t it?’</p><p>‘Not if the bear liked riding unicycles!’</p><p>Hermione sighed, and looked up at Ron. ‘I think he’s just tired,’ she said. ‘We’ve been here hours.’</p><p>‘D’you want to go, mate?’ Ron asked him. But this made him cry even more, so they decided that Hermione and Hugo would sit the next one out while Ron took Rosie on the teacups.</p><p>‘I’ll come too!’ said James eagerly. ‘MUM! DAD! AL!’ he bellowed over his shoulder. ‘Come on!’</p><p>So the Potter family joined Ron and Rosie, all of them walking through the still busy funfair towards the teacups.</p><p>‘Hey!’ shouted James gleefully, suddenly crouching on the ground. ‘I just found a pound! Someone dropped it!’</p><p>‘Good spot, we’ll make a seeker out of you yet,’ said Harry approvingly.</p><p>‘I’m going to go and get some candy floss.’</p><p>‘James,’ said Harry sharply, ‘I think you’ve had eno - James!’ But his son was already running off towards the candy floss stall.</p><p>By the end of the evening, the smallest children were tired, and there were a few suggestions that it was time to go home. Lily lay asleep despite the noise around her, against Harry’s shoulder, drooling onto his shirt.</p><p>‘Time to get them in bed, I think,’ he said quietly to Ginny. ‘Al’s flagging as well.’</p><p>‘No! One more ride!’ James was pleading. ‘Come on, Mum, just one more.’</p><p>A few feet away, Rosie was pleading the same with her father, so with stern promises that this was the last one, Ginny, James, Rosie and Ron all piled into one of the cars of the waltzers. It took the man in charge of the ride coming over and sternly insisting before James accepted that as the smallest he and Rosie had to sit in the middle, but eventually the sour-faced man pushed the bar down and jiggled it to make sure it was secure, then stalked off to check the other cars. Ginny was sat beside her son, a little concerned by the wild look in his eyes and having vague thoughts that he might try and stand up during the ride, for he seemed to tremble with excited energy. He and Rosie immediately began to giggle, whisper and argue about whether or not the ride would explode and they would die a fiery death.</p><p>‘They’re getting a bit cosy, aren’t they?’ said Ron quietly, and Ginny followed his gaze to look over her shoulder at the car two places over. Teddy and Vic were in a car on their own, giggling together, Ted’s hair a vivid pink. Though they were not exactly cuddled up or kissing, there was something in Vic’s expression as she laughed adoringly up at him, and something in the way Teddy seemed slightly taller than usual, that suggested that once again the pair were awkwardly dancing around each other.</p><p>‘Hmm, they are…’ said Ginny slowly, ‘I have wondered about them for a year or two, you know. Since he started school they see a lot less of each other, and they never saw much of each other before, except when they were really little, so when they are together like this it’s not really… it’s not in a family way, is it? I think it’s Vic, I think she has a bit of a crush. I thought it might go away once she started school too, but if they’re not in the same house, it’s still enough distance, isn’t it?’</p><p>‘He’s got a girlfriend now though, hasn’t he?’ said Ron. ‘Libby something or other?’</p><p>‘Yeah, but you know,’ Ginny shrugged, looking back at Ron. ‘Teenagers.’</p><p>‘Yeah. Glad I never was one.’</p><p>The ride began, irritating, quick beat pop music blasting out, the cars spinning slowly over the undulating track at first, but faster and fasher, with such force that Ron, laughing apologetically, was having to brace himself as best he could to stop himself crushing his daughter and nephew. The children where shrieking and screaming with glee, and Ginny was laughing too, especially as Ron started to look a little queasy, clutching his stomach and tinging green.</p><p>‘You big baby!’ she shouted across at him over the music, her hair whipping around her face. ‘You need to get back on a broom! Toughen up!’</p><p>‘How is this fun?’ Ron bellowed back, though he was laughing.</p><p>‘Mummy!’ James shouted suddenly. ‘I want it to stop!’</p><p>Unfortunately, over the noise of the ride and other people screaming, she did not hear him, and nor did she notice when he went very quiet. She was too busy teasing Ron, laughing with Rosie, spotting Teddy and Vic being thrown about themselves, and giving them a little wave as their cars spun past one another.</p><p>But when she felt James clutch her arm, she looked down, and saw him mournfully looking back up, his face ashen beneath his brown freckles.</p><p>‘Are you all right?’ she shouted at him, above the music. He did not answer, just closed his eyes as they span, then suddenly lurched forward and vomited.</p><p>Why did I catch that? she thought stupidly, her hands still cupping the warm vomit.</p><p>She heard Rosie’s squeal of disgust, saw Ron clap his hand to his mouth and shake with laughter, saw the blur of lights and heard the scream of music as they continued to spin rapidly. James slumped against her arm, and she was pressed against the side of the car but unable to grasp the bar, because she was still holding his sick.</p><p>‘Lovely,’ she heard Ron shout, as the smell of it became increasingly pungent.</p><p>Finally, the ride slowed, and as it started to come to a stop Ron got out his wand and subtly vanished the sick, though Ginny rather thought that the smell lingered. ‘You feeling better?’ he asked James kindly.</p><p>James apparently did not feel better, for he stayed slumped against his mother, moaning slightly.</p><p>‘That was disgusting!’ Rosie squealed. ‘I thought I’d be sick too when he did that!’</p><p>‘Please don’t,’ said Ron cheerfully.</p><p>‘Right, I need to was my hands,’ said Ginny grimly, holding them up out in front of her as though they were still dripping with it.</p><p>‘I vanished it,’ Ron said.</p><p>‘I don’t care, I need to was them. Take him, would you?’ She tilted her head to look at James. ‘You all right, sweetheart?’</p><p>‘I didn’t like that ride,’ he mumbled.</p><p>‘No? D’you not think maybe it’s because you’ve had a lot of candy floss?’ she asked, as Ron pushed back the safety bar.</p><p>‘No, I didn’t, I’ve barely had any,’ he said weakly. Ron scooped him up; James lay lip against his shoulder like a ragdoll.</p><p>While Ginny rushed off to the toilets to scrub her hands raw, Ron carried his nephew off the ride with his daughter trotting alongside, until he spotted the wider group by a hook-the-duck stall.</p><p>‘We had a minor incident involving a lot of vomit,’ Ron told Harry by way of an explanation as he spotted Harry’s rather dreading expression.</p><p>‘James,’ said Harry darkly. ‘How much candyfloss have you actually had tonight? Because I just heard you got some off Nana too.’</p><p>‘Not much,’ sniffed James, wrapping his arms around his father’s neck as Ron handed him over.</p><p>‘Where’s Ginny?’ Harry asked.</p><p>‘Washing her hands.’</p><p>‘What? Why - eurgh!’ said Harry, realising as Ron grimaced. ‘Right, I think we’re done for the evening, aren’t we?’</p><p>‘No, I wanna go on the spinning thing,’ James said, muffled against Harry’s neck.</p><p>‘Well, when we get home, I’m sure you’ll sit on my desk chair and spin that dangerously fast, how about that?’ said Harry lightly. ‘Didn’t break the statute of secrecy though,’ he added quietly to Ron, rather pleased.</p><p>‘I know,’ said Ron happily. ‘Better than our usual - ah, you ruined, it, Harry. Never say it out loud.’</p><p>Teddy was pelting towards them, panic in his eyes and his hair a neon green. ‘Arthur,’ he was saying, hurriedly, ‘Arthur-’</p><p>Arthur sighed, and stood heavily. ‘How many saw, Teddy, and what colour?’</p>
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